The Economic Times

In 1961, NASA sent Ham the chimpanzee 157 miles above Earth to test whether a primate could work in space; he completed a 16-minute flight and returned safely

Chimpanzee Ham made history in 1961 when he soared into space aboard a Mercury-Redstone rocket. His mission aimed to assess the capabilities of primates under the daunting conditions of space travel. During his brief yet impactful journey, Ham adeptly executed trained tasks, paving the way for America's first astronaut. Today, Ham's legacy stands tall as a testament to the adventurous spirit of space exploration.